A quilt is generally defined as a bed coverlet of two layers of cloth, filled with padding, such as down or batting, held in place by ties or stitched designs. Comforters, bedspreads, quilts and like bedwear have long been used, in addition to normal sleeping usage, to protect other bedding from soil as well as serve a decorative purpose. However, to achieve superior warmth, the consumer has had to forfeit aesthetics and, thus, these items are then not the centerpiece of bedroom decor. Heretofore, no bedwear has served the dual purpose of providing superior warmth via insulating features, while being aesthetically pleasing and serving a primary decorative purpose as well.
In attempts to solve this limitation, prior art quilts and other bedding, including for example, bed spreads and comforters, have been proposed which are either insulating or decorative. These aspects allow the user to achieve only one of their goals, but however do not provide a decorative and superiorly warm bed covering, a quilt.
The prior art discloses several different types of bed coverings. U.S. Pat. No. 3,565,025, to Owen, describes a single article of bedwear to serve the dual purpose and function of both a bed spread and a blanket.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,271,281, to Whitman, discloses a novel type of bedding that employs air pockets for warmth. Said bedding may provide superior warmth in comparison to average bedding, however, it does not employ fur or simulated fur to provide such warmth, nor is it intended for use other than bedding.
Danova, U.S. Pat. No. 5,084,930, describes a soft sculpture creature useful as a blanket. Said creature is intended as a novelty bedding item, not as a superior warmth providing piece of bedding.
An improved bedspread having a number of reversible and interchangeable panels is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,251,350, to Bordenave, Sr. et al. Said bedspread is useful for aesthetic purposes--to change the look of a room. It is not a superior warmth providing quilt that is also aesthetically pleasing.
U.S. Pat. No. 56,573 to Klamke, discloses an improvement in robes having both fur and cloth and useful in a way similar to a blanket, throw or wrap. However, these robes may serve to vary the utility of a bed covering, but do little, if anything, to vary the aesthetic appeal of a bed covering.
Shortcomings found in the prior art include, for example, lack of aesthetic appeal, lack of warmth, limited usefulness and various combinations of the above. In fact, aesthetic appeal and superior insulating qualities appear to be almost mutually exclusive in the art. The present invention overcomes these drawbacks by integral incorporation of insulating and decorative surface characteristics and features into the same quilt. The construction of the instant invention is highly suitable for the above-stated purposes as it is made from, for example, at least one layer of fur or simulated fur, one layer of fill such as batting and a third layer of fabric, said layers tied or stitched in a quilting fashion. While prior art is suitable for general bed covering purposes or decorative purposes, none of the prior art easily and efficiently uses insulating features to provide superior warmth to the user while providing superior aesthetic appeal. The present invention provides a novel quilt composition, made from a plurality of layers, including at least one of fur or simulated fur--an ideal material of construction for the present invention.
Fur and simulated fur are naturally insulating based on their loft, or the amount of air able to be trapped between the lengths each hair. When combined with conventional fill, such as batting, and a third layer of fabric, the combination provides superior warmth and aesthetic appeal.
According to this invention, this combination provides a decorative outer fabric surface on one side thereof to be utilized as the upper surface when positioned on a bed thus providing aesthetic appeal, and a fur or synthetic fur outer surface on the other side thereof to be utilized as the under insulating surface when positioned on a bed. This positioning description is not intended to be limiting in that the improved quilt described herein is completely reversible based on the user's desires. By this construction, the use of the combination of numerous sheets, blankets and comforters in the cold winter months is obviated. Furthermore, there is provided a quilt in which the upper side thereof is possessed of a decorative woven, nonwoven or knit fabric which is desirable for the exposed surface of a bed covering and in which the underside is possessed of a fur or synthetic fur surface for superior warmth.
While prior art bedwear may allow a person to keep warm or decorate a room, it does not take the form of an object who's specific purpose is to both insulate the user while serving a primary decorative purpose. In addition, the prior art does not disclose the use of fur loft to enhance the air capture features and, therefore, increase insulating properties in bedwear. Current commercially available quilts are quite pleasing to the eye and frequently used in decorative ways. However, they are generally also used with a number of conventional blankets underneath in order to provide adequate warmth. The instant invention provides a quilt that is useful in two equally important aspects, warmth and aesthetics.